bglove25:Kunks!: Mastodon's earlier albums are incredible, Blood Mountain and Leviathan are some of the most intense stuff I've heard.

That being said, The Hunter was a real let down.

I keep hearing it from folks, but it was easily my favorite record of last year. What other band on earth could release a prog-rock concept album about astral projection, complete with 10 minute plus songs with long crazy solos (like a heavy metal version of Pink Floyd on some nasty drugs) and then challenge themselves to do the complete opposite (Short, tightly crafted songs, better vocal performances, short but still powerful solos) and pull it off? "Blasteroid" doesn't sound like anything else I've ever heard, has some of the best riffs I think Mastodon has ever done and I can't name one band that could pull off something similar. YMMV. Also, I highly recommend getting very baked before giving it another listen. It's a fun album, they're just never gonna make Remission or Leviathan again because they're growing and changing as musicians. Some bands grow and develop over time, some put out the same song for 40 years (looking at you AC/DC) but as long as they do what they do well, I say rock on.

That's a bit of what I hated about The Hunter. Well, not so much hated but just found boring. Their earlier albums were very heavy and had some great moments. Crack the Skye had some awesome heavy moments but also mixed in a lot of progressive sounds. The Hunter abandoned the Progressive sound but didn't pick up the heaviness of their earlier albums. So instead it sounded like generic hard rock.

Listening to Horna, reading this thread while on my commute to work. Reminds me that I don't like "beard metal". Someone mentioned liturgy above. I gave their recent album a listen the other day. Not great. I'll take Blut Aus Nord any day.

I remember seeing Mastodon for the first time at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis when they were on their first go around along with Bongzilla and High on Fire, 2002 maybe? Never heard them before that and holy shiat, they dominated that night. Back then I didn't think anything would top H.O.F.

I have really tried to like Mastodon, but there's something missing there, for me. I like a couple songs, but...I don't know. I won't knock them though, because at least they are playing instruments. Maybe they're a band that's much better live?

Probably I missed some. Don't feel like going and looking at the CD collection right now.

Dragonforce is the Hannah Montana of metal.

No, Dragonforce is the Spinal Tap of power metal.

No, Dragon Force is one of the best games ever.

No, Dragonforce is the band for folks too young to know who Helloween was.

Pink Bubbles go Ape?

I keed. Better than Raw was the first metal album I ever bought. Followed by Something Wicked this way Comes by Iced Earth. I think I have half of Helloween's catalog now. Manowar was another one of my early purchases. Kings of Metal was bad ass.

Mastodon suck. HARD. I tried to like them. I have the records. Have listened to them several times.

The only thing they did that I actually sort of like is that song at the beginning of the Aqua Teen movie. If you guys like them, that's cool, whatever, but good lord, there is just nothing there to enjoy.

My metal friends pretty much agree. In fact I have not met a real human in person that claims to like them.

I would also like to point out that the dude who wrote this is a weird farker. He is venhemetly anti-racism, yet maintains that he's a white supremacist. I have no idea what sort of mental gymnastics his mind must perform to maintain those thoughts.

Oh, leave me to the over the top hair metal that is DragonForce. Just because I enjoy their stuff doesn't mean I take them seriously. You can think something's awesome and still be amused as hell by it (how many 5 hour energies do they pound before a show? really?).

saintstryfe:Ah, the Forget of Ponies has once again gifted me - I had not heard Symphony X before, and they have landed firmly in my Savatage-loving heart.

God bless you, citizen.

Personally? I recommend the Accolades (I and II), Wicked (my hands down favorite of their shorter songs), Odyssey, and Set the World on Fire, if you haven't heard them.

I seriously got to hear Symphony X play Odyssey IN A FREAKING BAR IN DETROIT. Oh my god. Just... just stunning.

bhcompy:I like Sym X, but considering the production values of some of the other bands with real studio orchestras, I wish they'd drop the MIDI already. Still good stuff, but a bit too much at times.

/The Odyssey is one of the better super long songs out there

...True. For actual orchestra backup I think Nightwish brings the WIN a bit more. But Symphony X brings an EPIC to their stuff you know?

ChubbyTiger:You have good taste, my friend. Try Psychostick for laughs, if you haven't.

Ohhh. Noted.

EdenLiesObscured:Love metal snob conversations. I'm all about it. Avowed metal head: saw Kiss and Judas Priest when I was in the 3rd grade.

But if it moves you, listen to it. Some will sneer. I get sneered at for my choices, but that doesn't stop me from listening.